


History

by curiousscientistkae



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, F/M, Future Fic, Hurt/Comfort, Ruby thinking a bit about Summer, some injury
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:35:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28276185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/curiousscientistkae/pseuds/curiousscientistkae
Summary: Ruby goes on a mission, thinking nothing about it. She misses her family and wants to be with them. Though, things do not go as planned
Relationships: Jaune Arc/Ruby Rose
Comments: 4
Kudos: 15





	History

**Author's Note:**

> i am on a roll with stuff lol. Idk I just wanted to write. Hopefully yall enjoy a bit of hurt/comfort but still some softness

Ruby impatiently waits, listening to the ring coming from the speakers of her scroll. The icon of her husband, Jaune, pulses as it tries to connect to the huntress’ far off home. She knows it is a little late in the day in Patch. With her luck, Jaune can easily be in the middle of cooking dinner or trying to bathe their youngest child. His hands must be full at the moment handling their three children. Both she and he are used to it, only having two hands for three beings under ten years old, but some days are more hectic than others. Is tonight one of those?

Finally, after several more rings, the screen goes black before showing the bright, smiling face of Jaune. At the sight of her husband, Ruby feels her heart flutter in her chest. Any weariness that might drag her body down lifts off her shoulders. Jaune settles down on the couch before speaking. 

“Hi, Rubes. How are you doing?”

Ruby shifts in her seat, getting comfortable. “Alright. Tired.”

“Mission going well then?”

“Yeah it is. Nothing special or anything.” Ruby leans back and takes a breath, thinking about how the last week has gone. Her mission is nothing out of the ordinary. Just deal with some Grimm or bandits or anything of the sorts. As much as the huntress loves being out in the field, traveling the world, and meeting new people, it is not always fun. Her heart longs to return to the safety of her home, be in the arms of her husband, and holding her children close. Soon, though, she will be able to return to Vale. 

“Well, your last two have been rough. You deserve a little break,” Jaune tells her. 

“True I guess. So, how are you? Where are the kids?”

“Zury is taking a nap actually.” Jaune shifts his scroll to show the small, toddler with blonde hair with red tips lying besides him. There is a bright, blue blanket over her curled framed and her thumb hangs loosely in her mouth. After several moments, Jaune turns the camera back on himself. “Garnet and Clover are playing video games in Garnet’s room.”

“That is good. Hope the kids haven’t been too much trouble as of late.”

“Nah. They all have been little angels. Hopefully it lasts.”

Ruby can’t help but chuckle. “For your sake, I hope it does also.” A noise catches Ruby’s attention. She pulls her head up and looks towards the sound, seeing another huntress she is working with waving at her. What little time she had for catching up now ceases to be. Dang it. She turns her attention back at her husband. “I gotta go Jaune. Love you. Tell the kids that also.”

“I will. Love ya, Rubes.”

With that, the screen goes black. Ruby reminds herself that in a couple more days she will be home sweet home. The huntress puts her scroll away, grabs her trusted and beloved weapon, and heads out into the woods that surround this village. The trek through the trees, brush, and rocky paths is nothing out of the ordinary. She and the other huntress seek out some Grimm and maybe if they are lucky, the two can get rid of the rest and be home early. 

After some time, maybe about an hour, they find some Grimm. A pack of Beowolves. Ruby and the other huntress duck behind some bushes, peering ever so slightly over to gain an idea of what they will be facing. From what Ruby can tell, there are only five or six of them. They keep moving around. It's hard to quite tell but still. A decent number either way. It shouldn’t be that hard of a fight. Without saying a word, Ruby and the other huntress break apart to create a surprise attack. 

Ruby settles into her position. Two of the Beowolves come close to her, sniffing the ground. The huntress holds her breath, keeping her heart rate steady. When they move away, she slowly releases the air trapped in her lungs. After several more moments, she hears a bird call. However, there is a human tone to it. Time to attack. Not wasting a single second, Ruby pushes off from the ground and holds her weapon high, a target in her sights. 

The first Beowolf goes down with ease. Her scythe cuts through it like a knife to butter. It stands no chance against the huntress with years under her belt of taking down Grimm. The other huntress appears, cutting through her own monsters. Some of the dark creatures put up a fight but like their siblings, fall at the hands of the huntresses. Everything is going smoothly...at first. 

Out of nowhere, as if it is created out of thin air with the snap of someone’s fingers, an alpha Beowolf appears, just as the last of the original ones falls. This Grimm is larger than any alpha Ruby as ever seen before. Their eyes burn a bright, fiery red and the white, sharp teeth the protrude from it’s muzzle shine in the sunlight, ready to pierce flesh. Ruby’s instincts quickly kick into gear. 

She uses her semblance to speed out of the way of a giant paw, long claws ready to slice through her. Ruby gets away just in the nick of time, feeling a slight tug on her red cape. That was far, far,  _ far,  _ to close for comfort. The other huntress is equally shocked. There is little time to process the events playing out in front of them as the large Beowolf charges. Both huntresses bolt out of the way, not wanting to be plowed through. 

Everything happens quickly with no room to breath. One moment, Ruby is about to strike down the Grimm, the next she is against a tree, gasping for air. Another she is using her semblance to dodge an attack, and then she is finding a gash somewhere on her body. How the hell is this thing so hard to take down? She has been hunting and killing Grimm for years now, what is going on? Even if she isn’t blood related to Qrow, maybe some of his bad luck semblance has rubbed off on her today. 

In another fast and blurred moment, Ruby finds herself shoving the other huntress out of the way of a large paw careening through the air. Her legs and arms have moved without her thinking, seeking to protect someone who cannot defend themself in the moment. All she can feel next is the cold, heavy weight of the Grimm on her body and the next, nothing.

* * *

When Ruby wakes, every inch of her body is sore. It feels like weights are tied to all of her limbs, making it near impossible to even lift her head up. Thank the gods she finds herself on a soft bed. It takes her several, long moments for her brain to come back into her body. A hospital she is in. Or, at least, what makes for one in such a small area. Using what strength she has, she looks at her body. Only her upper half is showing, the rest hidden under a white blanket. Bandages of the same color wrap around her arms and she can feel more on her chest and face. After more time is taken to pull out of her head what in the world happened to herself, she recalls fighting the alpha and then nothing. Must have been one hell of a fight.

Some time passes before who she assumes is the nurse or doctor enters. He seems to be surprised Ruby is alert but is happy nonetheless. After some discussion and helping the huntress piece everything together, Ruby gets the full story. After pushing the partner she found herself with today out of the way, she was knocked out cold by the Beowolf. With some luck, the other huntress was finally able to defeat the monster before rushing Ruby back to safety. While not completely in the danger zone, Ruby is told she is lucky to get away with what she did. Her aura breaking, this could have led to something more serious or death. 

No more missions for her for some time now and if she is feeling up to it, she can be sent back home tomorrow. That sounds good to her. 

As night falls and the thoughts of home begin to fill her mind, Ruby finds herself unable to sleep. Not only is her family in her head, which makes her happy, something else is there, sinking her heart into a dark ocean. She could have died or been hurt seriously. The idea of no longer being able to be a huntress sends shivers down her spine but that is not what haunts her. What does is history could have repeated itself today. 

Her mother, so long ago, went out on a mission. Told her, Yang, her father, and her uncle she would be back in no time at all. Only for that promise to be broken, shattered into a million pieces. Ruby was so young when that happened, her mother is more of an enigma than a memory. She knows this woman from stories and can see her image in her head from the pictures her family provides her and the silvers in her mind. But her voice, the way she holds herself, her laugh, all of the things that made her Summer Rose are lost on her. Home videos have done little to help. It can’t replace something she doesn’t have like her sister does. Concrete memories. 

Summer’s death destroyed her father, Taiyang. Because of it, Yang pretty much raised Ruby herself with the help of Qrow. Ruby cannot blame her father for that, though sometimes it still stings to know what sacrifices Yang had to make when she was trying to cope herself. What would Jaune do if she died? They promised each other if anything were to happen to them on missions not to give up. To keep moving forward, that neither would want the other to be stuck in the past. Others would need them, their children would need them. 

And what about Garnet, Clover, and Azure? That is something Ruby doesn't want to think about. Her children growing up without a mother. Something she wishes on no one. It is a threat that comes with the job of being a huntress but right now, it sticks in her mind, preventing much needed sleep. She barely gets an hour or so in before dawn arrives without warning. In hours, she is on a ship back to Patch. Back home. 

Thankfully, the Grimm did not break any bones in her legs. She still needs support to walk but she can bear most of her weight on her legs. Ruby is able to walk up to her house by herself, albeit limping and sore. Jaune has already been informed of what has happened and the second she is at the door, before she is able to  _ knock,  _ he appears. Arms wrap around her, quickly causing pain to erupt from her battered ribs. 

“Jaune!” Ruby yelps. 

“Crap! Sorry!” the blond hunter quickly lets go. However, he keeps his hands on her shoulders. Ruby can see his dark blue eyes are misty and his already messy hair is even more so. “I am just so happy you are back.”

“You have no idea how happy I am to be back.” Ruby sighs as she gently places her body against Jaune’s chest. This time, her husband is a little more careful. His arms wrap loosely around her body. Not enough to cause pressure but enough to feel his warmth and strength. “I am sorry if I worried you.”

“It’s not the first time one of us gave the other a heart attack like this.” Jaune places a small kiss on top of his wife’s head. “Now I am going to have to make sure you don’t try to over do yourself while you heal.”

Ruby snorts. “I will try not to be that much of a pain in the butt.”

“Mommy!” Three voices shout together. 

Ruby and Jaune break apart and turn their sights inward. Their trio of children run down the nearby stairs, all nearly tripping, before reaching the end. Jaune quickly stops them in their track from tackling their mother to the ground. 

“Woah! I know you all missed your mother but easy with the hugs, okay?” he tells them. 

When all three nod, he steps out of the way so the three can embrace Ruby. The huntress slowly, and painfully, kneels down so she can wrap her arms around all her children. Her eldest, Garnet, wraps his arms around her neck, while her two daughters, Clover and Azure, manage to squeeze under each of her arms. Ruby can feel her own eyes becoming misty. 

“I’ve missed you three so much,” Ruby tells them. She pecks each of them on the cheek or forehead. “I hope you guys were good for your father.”

“We were!” Clover shouts, her blue-grey eyes full of light. Ruby wonders if the small blonde is lying through her teeth. Out of them all, the middle child of the bunch always seems to cause problems on purpose. But the house is still standing, so that is a good sign. 

“How are you feeling, Mommy?” Garnet asks. His eyes, the same sapphire color as his father, are full of concern as he sees all the bandages on his mother. Ruby reaches up and ruffles up his dark, red hair. A smile creeps across her face. 

“I am fine, Gar. You know it takes a lot more for a Grimm to take me down completely. Though, I am a little sore and tired. Seeing you guys makes me feel a lot better though.”

Garnet smiles, satisfied with the answer. When there is a tug on her robe, Ruby turns her sights on her youngest. The toddler with silver eyes and a freckled face stares back at her. “Hurt,” is all she squeaks out, pointing at a covering on her mother’s face. 

Ruby sighs. The thought from the night before, about Summer, enters her mind once again. She was about Azure age, a little older, when her mother passed. What would Azure think if something bad happened to her? She would have to rely on her older brother and sister for stories about their mother. About how much she loved her and her siblings and everyone. How much she cried when she was born, so happy to finally meet the final and missing part of the Arc family. 

Would Azure at her age even recall Ruby if something were to happen? Ruby is lucky enough to have small bits in her mind, even if they are covered in fog. What would the youngest think, knowing she never truly got to know her mother or know what she was like? And her eyes. Growing up without someone to tell her how special she is and the power she has, would she feel lost and confused? Azure already is so timid and shy, what would the death of her mother do to her already small soul?

“It’s okay, Zury,” Ruby says. She shifts to hold her youngest in her arms. “Mommy is right here, and I am not going anywhere. I promise you, your father, and brother and sister that. Don’t you worry.”

Azure seems reassured like her brother. She places a kiss on the injury she pointed out before saying, “All better!”

Ruby giggles. “Yes. All better.”

“How about you go relax. I will make you some lunch,” Jaune tells her. “Anyone want to help me cook for Mommy?”

Clover jumps on the chance to cook. Garnet thinks about it for a moment before agreeing to be with his father. Azure, on the other hand, refuses to move from her mother’s arms. Jaune laughs. 

“I think Zury wants some Mommy time. Let me help you up, Rubes.” Jaune walks up to his wife and guides her to her feet. Ruby hisses through her teeth, feeling needles all over her body as she rises. When straightened out, Jaune asks her, “Do you need help getting to the couch?”

Ruby shakes her head in response. “Nah. I want to walk, it’s not that far. But mind someone getting me a heating pad? I would really like that.”

“I’ll go get it, Mommy!” Garnet states before darting off. Jaune and Clover disappear into the kitchen while Ruby and Azure make their way to the couch to watch some TV together.

* * *

That night, Ruby once more finds herself unable to sleep. It is like it has become a cryptic. Only a few find it and no matter how hard she tries, it never appears. So here she is, staring up at the ceiling in the darkness while her husband snores softly besides her. All three children sleep soundly in their own room. So much of Ruby wants her to check on them but it took forever to find a comfortable spot on her bed. No more pain. 

She wonders why her thoughts won’t stop. She keeps on thinking about her mother. How she almost let history repeat itself and put the same pain that she has and still does endures for all these years onto her own children. There have been many close calls so why does this one cause this? Is it because the family has been completed for a couple years now with the birth of Azure? Is it because this near-death experience happened when her youngest is practically the same age when she lost her own mother? Or maybe for no reason at all, her past trauma decided to randomly appear. 

Whatever the case, she hates it. 

“You okay, Ruby?” Jaune’s voice says in the darkness.

“I’m fine,” Ruby lies. 

She feels him carefully shifting in the bed, doing his best not to send shock waves through her body. Jaune moves close enough so even in the darkness, he can clearly be seen. He gently reaches a hand out and brushes some of her bangs from her face. “You know I can tell when you are lying. What’s the matter? You can tell me, ya know. What’s going on in that head of yours?”

Ruby takes a moment to think before answering him. “Just thinking about what happened. It just really got to me today.”

“How so? I mean...Any nearly dying is never fun but what was different about this one?”

“I don’t really know. I just...keep thinking about my mother...How she died when I was so little. Garnet, Clover, Azure...They are all still so young. Especially Zury. She probably wouldn’t really have memories of me like how I don’t of Summer. And what about Garnet and Clover? How would they react? Not to mention, you. It’s just...I don't know why it got to me so much this time.” Ruby reaches up and wipes some tears from her face. Dang it. 

“Hey, hey,” Jaune whispers. He wipes away tears himself, is skin carefully brushing against hers. “I can’t tell you I know what it is like to lose a parent. I know it must be really rough. And I don’t know how I could ever make it better. I know we made that promise always to keep moving forward but...I won’t lie it would be hard if ya know. But...you are a wonderful mother.

“You would do anything to come back and be with me and the kids. You always spend so much time with them so they would have many, many, memories in case anything ever happened. The kids love you, and I love you. You are your own Super Mom. I don’t know if that helped at all but it’s okay. And it’s okay to feel how you feel, worried and scared.”

“It did, thank you, Jaune.” She does honestly feel a little better. Like one of the weights on her has been lifted. Many are still there but at least she is feeling a little lighter. Just being near Jaune once again is more than helpful. 

“Think you can sleep now? You need it.”

“I can try.” Not caring about the pain, Ruby shifts so she is as close as she can be to Jaune. Back in his arms, she finds her eyes finally fluttering shut.


End file.
